Really, I’m going to try to summarize and make a few points. But Joel Rosenberg has a lot better idea what’s going on, and will give you much more information. Use his links in this post on the Flotilla Crisis.

If you catch the news at all, you’ve probably heard that a week or two ago Israel boarded some aid ships off the coast of Gaza, which eventually resulted in the death of several of those on board (10) and the injuries of several Israeli Defense Soldiers (5). Perhaps like me you did not know until this even that there was a blockade of Gaza. Though I’m not surprised. There’s always something happening in Israel. If they’re not fighting, they’re containing, and if they’re not containing, they’re appeasing. Both appeasing and containing lead to fighting. It’s the way things go in Israel.

So Israel is surrounded by enemies. Some are official nations and others are terrorist organizations or individuals. Many work for the UN.

The closest of Israel’s enemies spend a lot of time and money shooting missiles at Israel, hitting the peaceful civilian population. This is supplemented by the occasional explosive terrorist attack at a wedding or a bus station or some well-populated place (similar to huge office buildings in downtown New York City). Citizens of Palestine, and the terrorist armies on the northern border of Israel, too, are supplied with weapons, training, men, and propaganda support by such do-gooders as Iran, the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, Hezbollah, Syria, Al-Qaeda, the PLO… All of these groups have stated that it is their mission to kill Jews and eradicate Israel.

So Israel has tried a lot of things. Several years ago they ceded whole tracts of land to the Palestinians as a means of appeasement. Rather, they used this land to train terrorists and stage their attacks. The democratic elections put the terrorist group Hamas in control of the Palestinian territory, and anarchy in varying levels ensued. Bombs keep getting shot into Israeli territory. This is so commonplace that we in America almost never hear about it.

Recently, Israel got fed up. They, together with Egypt, announced a blockade of Gaza. The purpose, of course, is to prevent any more terrorists and their vicious weapons from getting to Israel’s neighbors who keep swearing to blow them to kingdom come. Israel made it clear that they would allow food and medical supplies, all the humanitarian necessities, into Gaza, as long as the shipments went through Israel so they could be inspected for contraband. Such deliveries have been made regularly to Gaza since the blockade began. There is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Ships were invited to make berth at an Israeli port (not Gaza ones) to deliver the aid.

Without speculating about the motives behind the move, a Flotilla set out from Turkey to run the blockade of Gaza. This was their open and stated goal. Passengers on board believed they were going to martyrdom. But only 10 of them died.

Israel brought pistols but didn’t use them until they feared for their lives. Instead they greeted with paint guns the weapon-holding “peace activists” who waited for them on deck. All this is on video. After the peaceful anti-Israelis took the soldiers and began beating them with pipes, throwing them three stories overboard, etc. the troops enforcing the blockade either fled or defended themselves with pistols. Ten died. The rest of the 600 activists were arrested, their goods confiscated and searched. (All but two activists have been released. The goods were shipped to the border of Gaza where Hamas refused to accept the aid unless Israel would release the final 2 prisoners – citizens of Israel.)

What do the Palestinians want? If they’re fighting for a homeland, what do they call what they’ve had the past several years, and why expect anyone to trust them with a country of their own now?

Those who condemn Israel are refusing to believe Israel and at the same time accusing Hamas of lying. Hamas has said what they want. They want to kill Jews. They want Israel’s existence to cease. I believe them. I just disapprove.

Biblically speaking, it is in every other person’s and country’s best interests to bless Israel. To stand against the Jews has a track record of bringing hard times and destruction. In biblical language, this is called curses.

Genesis 12:1-3, “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”